It´s OK My Dear

Handmade fascinators and adorable girlish must-have headgear by It´s OK My Dear. At Etsy.

Farewell to phosphorus

I was super delighted to read from Kemikaalicoctail (in Finnish only..sorry) that Finland will be banning the use of phosphorus in 2012!! Hurray! The most important commercial use of phosphorus-based chemicals is the production of fertilizers. But phosphorus is something that is present in almost all household cleaning chemicals and people wash and flush down tons of it with water when cleaning their homes. If you don´t know what it is or what it does, here´s the fact pack:

"Phosphorus is a nutrient essential to both plant and animal life. Aquatic plants, by a magnitude of thousands, require less phosphorus than terrestrial plants to grow. Excess amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen cause rapid growth of phytoplankton, or algae, creating dense populations, or blooms. These blooms become so dense that they reduce the amount of sunlight available to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Without sufficient light, plants cannot photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. The loss of sunlight can kill aquatic grasses. Algae may also grow directly on the surface of SAV. Unconsumed algae will ultimately sink and be decomposed by bacteria in a process that depletes bottom waters of oxygen. Like humans, most aquatic species require oxygen. When oxygen in deep water is depleted, fish and other species will die unless they move to other areas of suitable habitat. To summarize, phosphorus pollution accelerates a process called eutrophication, which is essentially the process of a lake’s biological death due to depleted bioavailable oxygen." (Source SERC)

In short too much nutrients chokes marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Noora is a Finnish blogger who writes about the chemicals we use daily, in food, make-up and washing products. I have learned so many things by reading her blog. From Noora´s post on phosphorus: "According to the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Comissions report by giving up phosphorus in our household chemicals would reduce the phosphorus emissions by 3000–9000 tons yearly! This would be nearly one quarter of all the manmade phosphorus pouring into Baltic Sea. So this is not small quantities we´re talking about. WWF marine biologist Sampsa Vilhunen says that "By banning the use of phosphorus in household chemicals would be one of the easiest and money saving actions we could do to help stop polluting Baltic Sea. Swhiching into more ecological household chemicals would have minimal cost but the benefits to the sea would be significant." (source:WWF)"



This is the main reason why I´m using only Ecover in my home.
They have all the same products than other household cleaning manufacturers (laundry, dishes, cleaning..) but I can be sure that me keeping my house clean does not effect nature negatively. They are 100% biodegradable and not tested on animals. I´ve used them now for over almost two years. I actually feel they smell better than the regular cleaning products and they do not dry out my hands or cause irritation. Also if you prefer buying organic cotton clothes and other ecological materials, don´t you think they should also be washes ecologically?! When I started using Ecover, one could not find it in very many stores, but now you can find it in almost any supermarket in Helsinki area. If you don´t have it in your supermarket, ask them to order it. That´s how I got it to my local store. It is a bit more expencive than regular detergents, but I figured that as a working, responsible adult I have to afford it. Ruohonjuuri (our local eco market) sells also refills so you can take the old bottles to the store with you, refill them and pay less than with the bottles. Less waste!

So I urge all my readers to seek more ecological ways to clean your homes. Let´s kiss phosphorus goodbye in 2010 (better than 2012) and help our seas get better. We need them. And, no. This is not a paid post...

*edit* I just thought of this...
Ecover product package would make a killer eco-housewarming-present!!!

Jean Paul Gaultier SS2010 Haute Couture

Jean Paul Gaultier SS2010 Haute Couture show was filled with leaflike Avatar jungle looking bound garments and accessories. As Gaultier explained it: “I saw the Avatar and, like everyone, found it extraordinary. And from there I began thinking of nature and ecology, and the Latin American tropics; and from there it was not very far to Mexico.” Top image: Metal corset spiral steel boning made to accessories.
Bias tape and fabric strips bound like fabric. The Black and white bands could also be different widths of elastic band.








Emroidered and cut denim with the top bound from denim ribbons.





Photos via Fashionologie.

Trashion goth nerd

Sweater knitted from leftover mohair threads (these by Rodarte), old black jeans, secondhand Clark Kent glasses, tattoos and creepers. Trashion rockabilly goth nerd. This look will be sure to get dates. I´d say yes..






Via Withasianstereotypes. Photos from Opening Ceremony.

beetlejuice beetlejuice beetlejuice

Tim Burton's Beetle Juice (1988) is still one of my all time favorite movies. It actally won an Oscar, for best male-up! :) Michael Keaton does a killer role in the title part wearing his striped suit. Is Mental did some research on the costume design in this movie and it turned out that Catherine O'Haras (aka Delia Deetz) look was 100% Japanese designer, which included such up-and-comers as Issey Miyake and Comme des Garcons (this movie came out in 1988 keep in mind). All her clothes were purchased during an afternoon at Maxfield’s boutique on Melrose Avenue and O'Hara had never heard of any of the designers. F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! The next time you watch it, take a good look at the rest of her wardrobe in the film. Loads of good stuff there.

Like two peas in a pot:
Delia Deetz´s head gear in Beetle Juice and D&G Fall 2009 glove head bands.



Beetle Juice is also important fashion-wise because it was one of the first mainstream films to present a new and uprising fashion subculture: goth. Lydia’s (Winona Ryder) dark look was still very new and undergroung back in 1987. In those times there were some goths but there was no store that sold tight plaid pants with studs, chains, and vinyl pockets. It was all done DIY by using your own creativity. Chris from Clothes On Film has written an exellent piece on this subject so check it out to be more fashion savvy.

Shopperbag top

This "Shopperbag top" is a collaborative project by ffiXXed (Kain Picken and Fiona Lau) and Bless. It might seem strange and unpractical at first, but it's really just another version of making a pocket (available on request). This wool scarf has sleeves so you can also wear it as a wrap top. I like both designs as they are clean and simple but yet a different looking interpetation of basic everyday objects.

My new best friend

For those of you who are new to my blog might find some of my inspiration posts ugly or even slightly disturbing.. The truth is that I love macabre things, especially if they have a dark melancolic Tim Burton-like humorous side to them. I also adore bunnies so it is really an odd mix. Things don´t always need to be so darn cute and pretty.. Etsy has many crafters that create these kinds of artworks, most being very affordable. JunkerJane makes these lovely plush critters from recycled fabrics and buttons. I just bought the one in the top picture. Aren´t they so adorable you just want to bite their heads off?!

Fur lined winter jacket hoods to capes?

Portrait of a scrapbook artist

Collage mask, artwork by Debbie Tea.

Footwear reflections

These customised shoes were decorated by supergluing pieces od CDs. And how they are cut? Lucinda at Thrift And Thread says "Soaking the CDs briefly in warm water before cutting helps to minimise splitting. Pressed CDs are easier to cut, so raid your sister’s old Xtina records." Fab job! And don´t just do shoes. I bet these CD pieces can be glued onto other accessories as well, like hats, fascinators, bags, belts... anything that does not have to be washed in water. Trashion bling.

Chistiana Livaditis

This dress by Australian designer Chistiana Livaditis was presented at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week’s RMIT 2009 graduate collections show. If I was ever reborn as an evening gown.. or get married.. or go to the Oscars, this would be it! This mono-U-sleeve is hauntingly beautiful! And for those of you thingking "not very practical", small slits can be made to it for more wearability like holding on to your handbag or champagne glass. This sleeve construction can also be made from shiffon (like thrifted sheer curtains) or jersey and used in blouses and tees. Images by Lucas Dawson.

Manifesto

Via Discount.

DIY tutorial - hemming your jeans designer style

How to Hem Your Jeans with Style

Via 21centurydressmakers.

Alexander McQueen SS2010 Prefall bags

An old cluch + one grommet + biker glove = DIY McQueen glove clutch?
Scarf / self printed canvas / denim + chains = DIY McQueen chain shopper?

In fashion one day you´re in and the next day you´re out!

Fashion is all about the ever changing trends. Everything has been done at least once before and stuff comes back in style in cycles. Maybe not exactly the way it was on the last time round, but still, it comes back and has been done before. Tracking trends to their original source and through different versions would be an intresting but difficult mission as your digital trail pretty much ends to year 1999. I found this photo scanned by Tant C from Flickr Inspiration Books group pool. It is a look from a Finnish sewing and fashion magazine called Muoti+Kauneus, wayyyy back from issue 7/1993. Apparently the DIY t-shirt shredding trend I´ve written loads about in the last year might not be originally by Brazilian designer Raquell Allegra, but a re-cycle from an older technique represented for the younger generation. And I have to say, 17 years has done it. The new generation has accepted this technigue much stronger than in the early 90s. Do you remember wearing shredded tees or seeing other people wear them in your younger years? I sure don´t. But I do now :)

P.S. Check out Tant C´s Inspiration book collages. I love the way this girl reads, cuts and pastes her magazine clippings.
P.P.S. And if you have any old magazines at home from 90s and 80s, flip them through. Let me know if you see anything familiar.
P.P.P.S. If you have this issue on Muoti+Kauneus, please send it to me.

Clip it on for a sunny day

One thing that many thrift store have boxes of is granny glasses, out dated shades and eyeglass frames. Never though those late 80´s clip ons would look so groovy... There are so many usually available secondhand that I bet after a few looks you´d actually find a match to your current goggles. These frames with clip on sunglasses are by Spitfire, sold out at OAK. Via Because Im Addicted.